Dear Vancity Girlfriends,
As you know, Carolyn is an avid beauty shopper and she is my go-to person for beauty tips. We are both members of Sephora's Beauty Insider as it is a free program and they give you freebies on your birthday! I like that.
Now when you shop and use your Sephora Beauty Insider card, you get points and if you spend $350 or more in a calendar year, you are a VIB (Very Important Beauty) Rouge member who gets invited to special events. As a VIB Rouge member, Carolyn invited me a special event at Sephora in Pacific Center, downtown Vancouver.
We went in and signed up, got our names tags and then shopped at Sephora. It was also the 4x points event and there were cupcakes, snacks, tea and coffee. Sephora was busier than usual for a Wednesday night because of the event but that's the fun of shopping with others and a different buzzing feeling.
Of course, we both didn't leave empty handed, in addition to our cosmetic bag freebies, we left with a few new products to try. That of course is not a surprise! It was a fun night and I'd go back to another VIB Rouge event.
The free cosmetic bag included the following samples:
1. Escada Born in Paradise Eau du Toilette
2. Buxom Lash Mascara
3. Make Up Forever HD Blush
4. Algenist Eye Renewal Balm
5. Living proof Perfect hair Day styling cream
6. Clinique high impact mascara
7. Philosophy Hope in a Jar moisurizer
8. Benefit Watt's Up highlighter
9. Black Sephora cosmetic bag
Carolyn's Sephora Buy: "My go to hydrating primer that I love! (Good for combination dry skin) and trying out the new instant revitalizing mask from Radical Skincare."
Maria's Sephora Buy: "Trying out the Shiseido Ibuki Gentle Cleanser for daily skincare and Two Faced Chocolate Bar eye shadow kit."
Hello Vancity Girlfriends!
After two months, that has given us enough time to find some Empties in our beauty supply. We have an assortment of empties this time and even two of the same product! Now that's a well loved empty. It's great to see the empty bottles and recap what we liked or didn't like about the products and what we'd buy again. Which one of the products on the right have you seen before? Watch our first Empties Vlog to find out!
Or just watch the new Empties! vlog and we'll tell you. There are six empty products this time for review from popular name brands such as Shiseido, Smashbox, Vichy, Biotherm, Merle Norman and Tresemme. Let's find out more about these Empties!
1. Shiseido Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam - This is a nice gentle foam cleanser that lathers nicely with just a little dab. Now recently I went to Shoppers Drug Mart and the beauty consultant informed me that they pulled this product from their stores. :( You may want to look at Sephora and when you find the product, stock up!
2. Tresemme Deep Conditioner - Local drugstore brand that you can buy easily and it is cost effective. It is wonderful for thick hair as a weekly conditioner to leave your hair feeling soft and less course. *Note - if you have light, fair hair, it doesn't work as well and makes your hair feel oily.
3. Vichy Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Eye - Even those who are eye cream sluts may want to stick around with Vichy anti-wrinkle and firming eye cream. If you catch them early in your 30s, then you may help you down the road. Carolyn gives it her thumbs up.
4. Merle Norman Anti-Redness Moisturizer - I loved the texture and feel of the moisturizer which makes it perfect for winter. However, as spring and summer approaches, I don't always wear foundation so I need to have a moisturizer that has SPF which this one does not. But great for the rainy Vancouver winters.
5. Biotherm Gel Moisturizer - Carolyn LOVES this product so much she had 2 empties of it! This is a great light moisturizer that hydrates so it's perfect for the winter or it depends on your make up regime. Carolyn has her SPF in her foundation.
6. Smashbox Finishing Powder - Again another Carolyn's favourite! She's willing to spend $70 on this product! This goes on after your foundation to set it in place and the compact turns so you only need to have a bit of finishing power out at a time which extends its lifetime.
Gather your empties together and share your favourites with us!
Hello Vancity Girlfriends,
Are you ready for our first Empties blog and vlog? Bring it on! Empties is where you find out what products are empty (hence someone loves them SO MUCH that they are used up)! That's great promise for products to be used daily. It's December so it's our winter season and the empties below address our winter woes. Let's get started to find out what empties you may want to fill in your stocking!
1. LUSH - Ocean Salt - This is a face and body scrub that can be used daily. As with lush it is made with simple natural ingredients and smells quite nice. It's a great way to exfoliate dead skin cells that may accumulate during the winter months. Unlike masks, it does NOT need to be refrigerated which is a bonus. LUSH has a recycling program so if you bring them 5 empties, they will give you a free face mask.
2. Murad Essential-C Toner - This is a spray toner that you can spray on your face easily and then you let it air dry. (No unnecessary cotton balls wasted). The essential-C toner helps with pigmentation and damage and can protect your skin during the winter months. This is Vancity Girlfriend's Carolyn's toner of choice! Restocking is necessary.
3. Smashbox 15 Hour Hydrating Foundation - When your skin is dry, Smashbox 15 hour hydrating foundation comes to the rescue. It is a pump foundation that will go on smoothly and helps moisturize your skin during the winter month. Good winter hydrating foundation to have on hand! This is a high end brand product at $50 but isn't it worth it to spend a bit more on your skincare?
4. Smashbox Photo Finishing Hydrating Primer - Now there is a theme with winter empties and that is the need for hydration! Smashbox is back again with a foundation primer that you wear after your moisturizer and before your foundation. So it's Shiseido cleanser, Murad Essential-C toner, moisturizer, Smashbox foundation primer + Smashbox hydrating foundation.
5. Shiseido Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam - This is a great daily cleanser for removing make up at the end of your day or for having a nice clean face when you start your day. I like to keep a bottle in the shower so I can cleanse my face while I have my morning shower. It has a nice gentle lather and a little goes a long way.
6. Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Touch Pen - Such a fancy name, you must be wondering what is a radiant touch pen? Well, it has an extra smooth brush that with a click of the pen, you can highlight your face so that when the sun strikes it, you will look radiant. I have used under eye brighteners before but with radiant touch it works to highlight your cheekbones, bridge of your nose, and side of your eyes. Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn says that with her YSL radiant touch pen, people comment on her natural glow even though in reality she has had a late night.
Empties Recap:
1. Lush Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub 4.2 Oz
2. Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Toner, 1: Clean/Tone, Packaging May Vary, 6 fl oz
3. Smashbox Cosmetics Smashbox Cosmetics Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation SPF 10 - 1.1
4. Smashbox Cosmetics Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Foundation Primer - Hydrating
5.
Shiseido The Skincare Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam Cleanser for Unisex, 4.7 Ounce
6.
YSL Touche Eclat Mascara Radiant Touch, No.1, 0.08 Fluid Ounce
